Celebrating Christmas: Unwrapping Christmas Advent Guide

Behind the scenes at Immanuel, we’ve been thinking about Advent and preparing our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Because that’s such a big deal, Pastor of Student Ministries Josh Peterson and Pastor of Family and Adult Discipleship Bryan Bicket called a special meeting to discuss how Immanuel can best help our families and individuals engage in Advent celebration:

So after discussion about trekking to Bethlehem was nixed, we decided instead to do what we’re already doing this Christmas season: wrapping presents, spending time with family, baking cookies, decorating and the like.

Our Advent guide, Unwrapping Christmas, seeks to bring intentionality into such Christmas preparations as well as place a major emphasis on joyfully preparing our hearts to receive the real gift of Christ wrapped in humanity.

Each Sunday, a new conversation guide will be accessible via our website; a printed guide will also be tucked into your Immanuel Life each week.

The conversation guide is designed to inspire intentional times of discussion anchored around the Sunday message so as to help bring the Sunday message into Monday morning and beyond. {Hint: the first week, we’re encouraging families to set up their nativity scenes during the discussion! So dig out that nativity box!}

Lastly, our Immanuel Advent Wreath Guide, found at our website, is perfect for adults or families with teens who want an additional resource intended to help them go deeper into Advent.

“Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present.” – Edward Hays, A Pilgrims Almanac